Leicester vs Middlesbrough prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2024-02-16 15:00.
Leicester’s full-throttle title charge continued in fine style as they went 12 points clear at the top of the Championship with a routine 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday in midweek. That was Leicester’s fifth consecutive competitive victory, and with four of them coming by multi-goal margins, they’ll be hoping for a repeat against Middlesbrough, a side who inflicted one of their only four league defeats this season back in November.
Not since the 2001/02 Premier League season have Leicester been outfoxed by Boro in both league games, and the fact they’re unbeaten in each of the last seven home H2Hs should solidify confidence that won’t change here (W3, D4). That’s not to mention the fact that Leicester have run out winners in 14 of their last 17 home league games (D1, L2), a record which further enhances their favourites status.
Despite registering almost three times as many goal attempts as Preston in midweek, Middlesbrough ended up falling to a 2-1 defeat, stretching their competitive winless run to five games in the process (D2, L3). Michael Carrick labelled it a “hard result to take,” which seems like a fair assessment as many fans and pundits begin to believe Boro’s play-off bid may be fading into obscurity with the gap to the top-six a rather large seven points.
A number of injuries and the sale of key players in recent months is a major contributing factor. Their away form has also held them back, although their all-or-nothing approach may well see all three points go one way or the other as Boro have not played out a travelling stalemate across any of their last nine competitive trips (W4, L5). They did grab a draw here back in 2016 on the way to their last Premier League relegation though.
Players to watch: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has made more Championship assists this season (G10, A12) than any Leicester player in one season since former Foxes and Boro player David Nugent in 2013/14. Sam Greenwood stunned Leicester in the reverse fixture, with that free kick goal being one of four match openers he has scored this term.
Hot stat: Leicester’s home league games this season have averaged a league-low 0.75 goals in the first half.